


Balancing Chaos

by DragonTemple6



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: BAMF Loki, F/M, Loki is a GOD, Loki's Kids, Thor is an idiot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-21
Updated: 2015-06-22
Packaged: 2018-04-05 09:51:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4175367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonTemple6/pseuds/DragonTemple6
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Avengers, Thor drags his brother home in chains to face punishment by the Allfather. But what happens when this punishment is exactly what Loki has been planning for all this time. And how do the Trickster Gods from every religion stop the greatest threat to face the universe in the form of the Mad Titan, Thanos.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tricksters Gather

_Asgard - Odin's Throne Room_

 

Thor snapped the chains harshly, causing Loki to almost fall from the sudden jerk but he kept his feet at the last second. The seething crowd that surrounded them laughed at the image the trickster presented, trussed up in chains so tight he could barely move and a muzzle that cut into his cheeks and silenced the Silvertongue.

The crowd around them laughed and jeered, thrilled to see the lesser prince humiliated and in chains, a position that many had wished for for many years. At the base of the dias that led to the Throne, stood the Warriors Three with smug proud looks on their faces, mostly on Fandral. But it was Sif who seemed the most pleased of everyone there, she had a look that seemed in equal parts smug, thrilled and amused, though Loki never expected any different. Sif had hated him from the first day they had met as children and she had never changed her opinion since.

Odin sat upon his throne with an impassive gaze that did not allow any to know what his innermost thoughts were, and by his side stood his wife. Frigga had tears in her eyes, her misery at her youngest's suffering clear on her face, and her own suffering in not being able to respond or protect him from a people who had never accepted nor liked him.

When they reached the bottom of the dias, Thor knelt to his father and King, giving a sharp tug on the leash he held to remind his brother to do the same. Loki though, refused to bow to someone he no longer thought of as kin or King, remaining tall and proud before his once-father.

The crowd gathered in the Great Hall were not at all pleased by the Silvertongue's continued defiance, neither was Odin himself, judging by the glare he threw at the one he called son for millenia. But it was Sif who took exception the most, the fury she displayed at the blatant disrespect to Thor and Odin, and at Loki's smile that he threw her, and she left her post to force him down. The second she moved though, she cought the ire of her King for breaking protocol, and she slinked back to her position with a sulk.

"Loki Laufeyson," Odin's voice rang out through the hall, silencing the noise from the crowd. "You have been brought here to answer for the crimes you have committed against three realms, Asgard, Midgard and Jotunheim. You have committed treason against your King and Realm, committed acts of an atrocious nature against innocents and tried to commit genocide on a people that could not defend themselves."

Jeers and taunts sounded out, yells of monster and beast directed at the prince. The Court of Asgard that helped the King run the realm were gathered around close to the royal family, and they also joined in the bullying with glee, finally giving voice to their hate and dislike they had held against one they thought unworthy of their golden world.

"This is not a trial, your fate has already been decided," at this Frigga gasped and turned to her husband, a horrified look in her eyes accusing Odin of betraying her and her son. "Your guilt is unquestionable and as such, your punishment will befit your crimes. You will be stripped of your magic and your tongue, publically lashed and finally marked as a slave and sold."

Frigga cried out at this, devestation upon her heart and furious towards her husband's actions. Thor hung his head, sadness for the one he called brother going through him. The only thing he could think of to help him would be to wait for the auction and buy Loki himself to be his personal slave. He was sure that his brother could learn to live in his new station, and eventually build his own life within the constraints that would be placed upon him for being a Jotun slave. He would be grateful to his brother for saving him, and he would once again have the little brother he had lost a year previous, and this time he would not be able to leave.

"Before your sentence is carried out, I hereby strip you of your title as Prince of Asgard as you are not my son. As you are not Aesir, you are also stripped of your citizenship and any other rights and privelages awarded to you previously. I declare you without family or home in Asgard, I declare you _nithing_ , unworthy of the protections of Aesir law and unworthy of the rights of an Aesir."

Odin's proclamation was followed by cheers from the Aesir gathered there, amusement and pleasure in the hearts of those who enjoyed seeing the once proud prince forced into the position of the lowest of beings. So low that they were not even considered people, just property, add to that his status as a nithing, meant that soon they would be able to do as they wished and no-one would be able to stop them. For many in Asgard it was something that they had wished for, to be able to put the dark prince in what they believed to be his proper place, beneath them.

Gungnir slammed into the stone beneath it as Odin took back the magic wards and binds that bound citizens of Asgard to the Laws of the Realm. Thor watched as glowing magical ties came into view and danced around Loki, twisting and turning before suddenly breaking and dissolving into a shower of light.

The second they touched the floor, deep mocking laughter rang out, causing everyone to freeze and the hall to become silent. Thor looked up in shock at his brother as the chains and muzzle fell from him with a clatter, letting that laughter ring out unhindered by any restrictions. Sif cried out in anger and launched herself forward, drawing her sword as she went, with the Warriors Three following close behind.

Loki threw his arms out, a blast of pure magic tossing all those heading towards him back into the floor and walls. With another wave of his hand he pushed Thor back against the steps of the dias and pinned him there. No matter how much Thor tried to lift Miljnor, it wouldn't move from where it had fallen.

"Loki!" Odin bellowed as he stood, bringing Gungnir to bear on him. "Enough of your foolishness! You will submit to your fate, it has already been decided."

"My fate?" Loki looked upon the man he had once called father and felt nothing but hate and disgust fill him. "You have no say over my fate, All-Liar."

"I am King, and you will serve your sentence under Asgardian law," he walked further down the steps, drawing Loki's eyes to him and allowing his guards to make their way forward.

"Wrong, Odin," Loki sneered, joyful mirth dancing in his eyes. "You yourself have declared that I am outside Asgard's laws, which means that they no longer bind me or can be applied to me."

"That is not what it means to be _nithing_ , boy," Odin stated, trying to take back control.

"It doesn't matter what you think it means, the fact is that your little light show just broke every tie that forces any Aesir to answer to your laws. I am no longer beholden to you or any law of the Nine Realms, and I take my leave of this accursed realm and its despicable people."

With a furious bellow, Odin unleashed Gungnir on the man he used to call son, but to the astonishment of all those witnessing what was happening, the beam bent around the God and then seemed to be absorbed into his skin. Shocked, he tried to stop Gungnir, but regardless of his intentions the weapon continued to pour its power into the blow.

Mere moments later the spear fell silent, spent of all its power and Loki glowed briefly before looking upon the king with shining emerald eyes that burned with power. Then he extended his hand towards the hammer and with a jolt of surprise, Thor saw a swirling vortex flow from Miljnor to Loki until it too died.

"You seem to forget, All-Liar, that it was I that enchanted both Gungnir and Miljnor, that it was I that had them made as a gift to you. And now I take back that power, and all the spells that I have placed over Asgard in the millenia that I have been serving as arcane mage to you," and so saying that, he lifted his hands and he was bathed in energy.

All the magic that he had poured into making Asgard a safe and stable environment to live was drawn back to him. No spell he had set in that realm remained intact, no scrap of magic was left behind as he scoured the realm clean of all magic bearing his signature.

"What are you doing, brother!" Thor yelled, trying to be heard over the thundering that the magic was creating as it was swirled to Loki. "Stop this now! Stop hiding behind your magic and be a honest for once. You are of Asgard, magic is beneath a warrior, you should know this."

Unfortunately for him, Loki took no notice and continued withdrawing his magic until all had returned. When he finally stopped and looked around, Asgard was already changing. Colours were less bright, flames and torches had all gone out, plunging entire areas of the city into darkness and even the air seemed less vibrant.

"No. I am not of Asgard, and I never was. I'm free of this backwards realm for evermore and I will not be bullied by anyone ever again!" Loki looked like an entire world's weight was lifted off his shoulders, like he could finally breath. "I will not mourn a single one of you," and then he looked towards Frigga, "except for you, Mother. You I will always claim to be my mother, but you are not my brother and Odin is certainly not my father."

Loki looked up as the rising sun set its first rays of light onto the palace, setting the hall alight with a dizzing display. Then the entire room shook, knocking more than a few people to the floor.

"Their here," he whispered to himself before looking back once more to the people who should have loved him but only ever bullied and hurt him. "You Aesir so despise magic, and think that magic has no worth. Well your about to find out how much 'worth' it has, that shaking just now was parts of Asgard breaking off underneath us, without my magic keeping the realm together, entire sections will cease to exist shortly."

Many in the hall were shocked by the news that the Silvertongue had imparted. The Aesir were firmly in the belief that they were all powerful and that Agsard was eternal, but they didn't believe that was mostly due to the magic of the mages that had placed countless spells on a broken world to hold it together.

"Soon, Asgard will not be able to hold together and it will break apart. See how powerful you are when your world falls down around your ears!" Loki spat at them.

Then with a flare of light and a cackle of mirth, multiple figures suddenly materialized around Loki, figures that quickly resolved into people that, while Thor may not have seen them in many years, he had never forgotten a single face. Before them stood legendary trickster gods and godesses from every pantheon, beings capable of great destruction and ones that reveled in chaos.

Eris, Nemesis, Keres, the twins Moros and Momos, Hermes, Set and Kapua had arrived in Asgard to lend their fellow trickster their strength and power, not that he needed any help. They had already moved through most of the realm causing mischeif and mayhem by the smallest of tricks, creating havoc for all those who had acted against Loki or had caused hurt with actions or words.

"Come, Loki," Eris, her long midnight hair flowing behind her, held out her hand to beckon Loki on. "Your finally free of Asgards bonds, free to do as you will."

"Yes, come, come," a young dark haired man darted around above their heads, Hermes, the fleet footed messenger of the Greek Gods. "Stuff to do, people to do it to," he continued with a laugh.

"Absolutely, my friends," Loki turned towards them, walking away from his once family, leaving Thor pinned to the floor and looking at them with disgust and fury.

"Loki! You would abandon your family? Leave us to go with those cowards and tricksters, they are nothing but liars and traitors," he had to get his brother to see the truth of the matter. That those he called friends were nothing, unworthy of association with an Aesir prince, but that he and his friends here were the only ones that would care for his wellbeing.

"Family! What family?" Loki turned with a snarl, hurling his words at Thor and Odin. "You have never been my true family, my friends are my only family now. They have never treated me with scorn or ridicule, never insulted or hurt me, they have only ever cared and loved me for who I was, not for who they wanted me to be. And they have never, never, tried to make me change for their own pleasure."

He stalked towards them, fury in every movement and wrath flashing in his eyes. "I've had enough, no more! I've washed my hands of all of you. You may do as you will from now on, I will not be there to catch you or clean up your messes. From now on you'll have to make do with your own talents, I will not gift you with my magic ever again."

With that said and nothing else holding him back, Loki turned to the friends that had kept him sane for the many years the Aesir had tried to break him, and without a backwards glance, swept them all into a portal and left Asgard, never to return for many years to come.

Frigga finally let her tears fall as she watched the child of her heart leave, possibly for the very last time, and her heart was breaking with sorrow. Just as Loki's silhouette was starting to fade, she felt her thoughts touched by another.

 _Mother, please do not cry. I will always consider you my family regardless of who my birth parents really are, and should you ever need me, I will come. Do not despair, I'm finally free to live my life as I choose, not to have it chosen for me._ Her son's voice was getting fainter as the portal dissipated, but she felt her heart lighten at his words. _Goodbye, Mother._

 _Good luck, my son, and take with you all my wishes and hopes_.

 

 

 _Asgard - A few moments after Loki left_  

 

Thor was finally released from whatever spell kept him pressed to the floor, just in time to almost end back on the floor again from another tremor that shook the entire world. As he struggled to stand, he witnessed Aesir screaming and panicking as they felt their world shake as though caught in the jaws of some massive beast.

"Father! What is happening?" Thor frantically searched out his father and mother to see if they were alright, before quickly glancing at his friends to check their health, although he only saw Volstagg on his feet.

"The magic and spells that were keeping Asgard safe have been removed or severely weakened," Odin was quickly thinking. He needed to stabilize the realm before irreparable damage was done. "Thor, take the guards and fetch me every seidrkonur and seidrmenn in the city and bring them here."

"Father? Seidr users?" he could not understand Odin's command, what could weak cowardly magic users do to stop what was happening in Asgard. "Tell me how to fix this and I will gladly undertake this task."

"No! This is not something you can 'fix' with brute strength, my son. This can only be stopped by reapplying the spells that the _nithing_ stripped from their rightful place." Odin was livid, how dare that ungrateful brat dishonour him in this way. For centuries he had been successful in demonifying those who practiced magic, and had driven out or killed those that had posed a threat or were too powerful to let live. All that were left were a few lower-class hedge witches that would be next to useless in what he now needed, but maybe their raw magic could be of some use.

Chastised, Thor retrieved Sif and the Three and then left to follow his father's wishes, putting a hand on his mother's shoulder to comfort her, knowing that she was feeling the loss of her youngest son.

When Odin turned to his wife to tell her to prepare for a seidr summoning, the glare he recieved from his usually quiet and obediant wife would have killed any lesser man, and as he reeled back in surprise she slapped him as hard as she could, the sharp crack of the blow silencing every courtier still in the hall. She turned on her heel and stormed off while he was still in shock over the blow, plans already going through her mind for she knew that Odin would not hestitate to drain every bit of magic out of her if he thought it would be of benefit to him. She had to leave as soon as she could, for although Thor was safe due to his being Odin's heir and having no magic of his own, she would not be so fortunate.

 

 

_Midgard - Forest of Dean, England_

  

With a flash of green Loki and his family appeared in a wooded area, surrounded by the sounds of an old english forest. As soon as everyone had landed, Loki turned around and was overwhelmed by the others in a massive hug, which he returned with enthusiasm. He couldn't believe that they had come to back him up, there wasn't a single Aesir, not even his oft celebrated brother, who would risk their lives to help him.

"You fool, you silly, stupid, brave, adorable fool," Eris sobbed into his shoulder, holding tight to the greatest friend she had ever known as he hugged her back just as tightly.

"Eris, thankyou," he breathed, holding even tighter. "I can't believe you came."

"Of course we came for you, we will always come for you." She huffed slightly at the shake of his head, knowing that due to how his family had treated him he was not that trusting of others, and did not believe that any would die for him. "Do you remember who it was that came to Olympus and defied my father, Zeus in order to protect and save my children? Who was it that risked life and limb to challenge the King of the Gods and made it so that he could never touch them when he lost that challenge?"

"Me?" Loki giggled wetly into her hair, remembering the incident she was talking about.

"Yes, you, when no other sane being in any realm would even consider helping me or my children."

"That's easy, I'm not sane," and everyone laughed at this, as none of them or indeed any trickster from any world could ever be considered truly sane.

"Why are we here, Loki?" Hermes inquired, taking a look around the peaceful wood. "Midgard was never your favourite realm, and while what you've been up to recently has all been part of a plan, the mortals might not be the most friendly at the moment."

"What do we care about what the mortals are friendly to or not?" Set asked. "We will do as we wish like we always have done, there is nothing in this world that they could do to harm us."

"I know, I'm not concerned about trouble with them, I'm just wondering what we're doing here."

"We're here to meet an old friend, one that's going to help us lay low for awhile until we decide what we're going to do," Loki informed them.

"Do? About what exactly," Nemesis wanted to know why Loki had summoned them when he had first arrived on Midgard before the invasion.

"Do you remember when Moros and Mercury both had the same dream about a calamity that would befall the Nine Realms and then flow into all the other worlds?" Loki questioned, to which they all nodded, recalling the distress the two had been in when they had initiated a gathering of all those who could be trusted. "I know what he's planning and we need to prepare for his arrival, because he is coming and we're going to need all the help we can get to stop him."

Eris and the others all looked at each other, it wasn't often that Loki, one of the most powerful gods, thought that they needed assisstance. Whoever they were up against must be powerful indeed.

"So why are we here again?"

"To meet me," a voice that held untold ages sounded out and with a rustle, a tall figure walked out of a tree. He was dressed in flowing robes made of the greens and browns of the forest, blending him into his environment perfectly, a horn hanging on his belt and a torque around his neck. But by far the most spectacular thing about him, was the great antlers that rose from his head, an imposing feature on an already fantastic form.

"Cernunnos," Loki dipped his head towards him. This was the one they'd come here for, one with the power and the knowhow to help them. "Thankyou for coming, old friend. We need your help."

"You have it, child," he looked over the group, then more closely at the Silvertongue, noting the tiredness and stress in his stance and face. "Come, lets move this somewhere more comfortable," and saying that, he turned back to the great Oak he came through before and touched its bark, calling forth elemental magic to open the pathways between worlds.

He stepped through, the rest following behind Loki as he walked through without a care, well used to the old magics that pervaded the woods of old England.

 

 

_Asgard - A few days later_

 

Thor looked up as the palace trembled once again, something he was quickly getting used to. His friends were with him in a private dining room for special guests of the Royal family, waiting for his father to inform him of what he was expected to do.

As if thinking of him summoned him, the King of Asgard walked in, drawing all attention to him. Thor had noticed that his father was looking far older than he used to before everything had happened, before Frigga had left unannounced and took with her a great wealth in the knowledge of seidr that Asgard desperately needed at this point. They still hadn't been able to discover why or where she went, but he hoped that she would return soon for Asgard needed her.

"Thor," Odin called his son to him. "Asgard is failing, we need the traitor brought back to reinitialise the spells keeping our environment from falling even further. His magic is the only thing that can save us."

"What good will the beast's magic be?" Sif was confused. She had been told her entire life that those who used magic were the lowest of the low, unworthy of the slightest consideration. "Magic is a worthless and cowardly endeavour."

"His magic is needed because I say its needed," he was not pleased by her interruption and he showed his displeasure for all to see. "You will go to Midgard and find him, bring him back to me so that we can fix this."

"Yes, father. I will take my friends with me also, if it pleases you. They will be a great help in tracking him down." Odin agreed to this, and in short time they were ready to go.

"Do not forget, my son, that he is a cunning and sly beast. Do not take anything he does or says at face value."

"Of course. Don't worry, I will complete this task you have set me, and I will bring him home to answer for what he has done," and so saying, Odin sent them off with the power of the Tesseract, straight to the home of one of Thor's pet humans.

 

 

_Midgard - Stark Tower_

 

Thor and his companions were set down on the landing pad that Iron Man used to de-armour, looking out on a city still covered in rubble and debris from the failed invasion. He strode towards the door, calling out for any of his new shield-companions to announce his arrival.

"Mr Odinson," a voice to which they could not see any owner, made itself known as they approached the entryway. As Thor glanced towards the ceiling from where it came from, his friends jumped and brandished their weapons, casting around for any threat they could see. "Master Stark sends his greetings and asks that you make yourself at home. He's down in the lab right now and will be up in a moment."

"Thank you, voice-in-the-ceiling, please inform Man of Iron that I have news for the avengers as well as the agents of SHIELD."

"Very well, sir, I shall inform them myself."

His Aesir friends questioned him as to what manner of being was one that could speak but not be seen, Sif speculated that it was a magician that used invisibility or somesuch, but he could not explain it any better than that it was an invention by Tony Stark that acted as his servant.

A few minutes later, after they had looked around at what Midgard found to be wealth and finding it lacking in the granduer of Asgard, Tony finally arrived with a message from Fury. The Quinjet he had sent for them raised some eyebrows among the Aesir but the trip went off well, and a few hours after arriving they were on board the helicarrier, ready to impart their news to all gathered.

"Alright, we're all here, what is it you want to tell us?" Fury was impatient for things to get rolling.

Clint leaned foreward, eager for information, "So what's the verdict, hey? What did that bastard get for what he's done? I hear your big into torture and eternal punishment, is there any way we can get up there to watch?" He was dieing to hear what that asshole was suffering through for what he had done to him, and he wanted to see it with his own two eyes.

Thor looked uneasily at his friends, unsure about how his news would be taken. Tony noticed the silent communication and it didn't take a genius to figure out that something had gone horribly wrong.

"What's happened?" Tony demanded, "What's that bastard done now?"

"The Allfather announced the punishment that Loki was to suffer, a punishment that the court supported, but before it could be carried out the Allfather removed Loki's status and citizenry of Asgard. What we didn't know was that those ties kept him bound to the law of the realms and Odin's rule. When those ties were broken there was nothing left to stop him, and he took all the power he had embedded in our realm and left."

Before he could continue, Fury leapt to his feet and began shouting. "What the hell to you mean he took power and left?!"

"Over the millenia of our lives, Loki has embedded his magic into the fabric of Asgard, spells and weavings that keep the realm functioning. He was even the one to create our most powerful weapons and defences, and he took back all the magic he had gifted us with. The Allfathers powers were for nought against him, not even the full power of Gungnir could affect him."

Tony scrunched up his nose at this, before asking the thing that had been bothering him since Thor first arrived. "Thor, where's your hammer?"

Thor looked ashamed before replying, "Miljnor was forged by Loki and Ivaldi, imbued with my brother's magic that gave it its powers and gifted to me along with Gungnir for my father, and Brísingamen for my mother. He has taken Miljnor's power back, and she is now nothing more than an ordinary hammer." His head fell as he felt once again the loss of something so dear to him.

"Loki made that hammer?" to say Tony was surprised was an understatement. "Mr Phsycopathic Conquerer is the one that created probably one of the most powerful weapons we know of?"

"Yes, he always had a fascination in how things were created and spent many years under the tutelage of the greatest of the Dwarf smiths, Ivaldi. He is also unmatched in seidr use in weaponry and almost all other forms of magic. The last thing mother told me before she left was that we would be very surprised at the strength of Loki's magic once we find him. She said that she'd never seen him at full power, not once, due to most of his strength being tied up in Asgard's protection." He sighed heavily for a moment, "If she is correct, then returning him to Asgard will not be easy, but we must take him back. Once returned, father will take his magic and return it to its rightfull place stabilizing Asgard's framework."

"We allowed you to take him on the belief that you could contain him, not for you to let him raom free with even more powers," Fury was livid, absolutely furious with the Aesir for screwing up what he had hoped would be a quick execution of a war criminal.

"We did not anticipate the effect that removing the protections of Asgardian law would have, we didn't know that he was planning on the Allfather denouncing his status to that of nithing. By removing the protections we also inadverdantly removed any hold we had over him, and he moved far to quickly for any seidrmenn to respond, and he's abilities make it almost impossible for any warrior to stop him when he fights dishonourablely."

"Well, what's done is done," Bruce butted in, "there's nothing we can do to change it. The question now is how to we find him again?"

"Just before he left, his friends from years ago joined him, which will be even more of a problem if they decide to fight on his side."

Clint laughed derisively, "Friends?! Him? Who would ever be friends with that lunatic?"

"Do not mock them Clint Barton," Thor chastised. "They are very powerful individually, but combined they are almost unstoppable. Their known to you mortals as Trickster Gods and Goddesses, Loki is known as the God of Chaos, Mischief and Fire, as is his best friend, Eris. She is the Goddess of Chaos, Strife and Discord of the Ancient Greeks, and along with his other friends, they can cause many problems for us."

Steve snorted, unbelieving of naming these aliens gods. They were just aliens, not divine beings.

"The easiest way to find him, would be to track down one of the easier to find tricksters," Hogun noted. "We can then use them to get Loki."

Natasha nodded, "So which one would be the best?"

Thor thought a moment, then had a brainstorm, "Coyote! He's known for favouring North America, so he should be the easiest to reach." Finally, something they could do to get thing on track, there was only so much waiting around Thor could take.

"Right," Fury stood, getting their attention. "Avengers you have a go. Find this Coyote, get Loki and get him the fuck off my planet. And this time, don't screw it up," he said, pointing the finger at the Aesir, who only nodded, before joining the others in their quest.

 

 

_Nether World - Cernunnos's Sanctuary_

 

What could only be decribed as a massive tree house spanned three mighty Oak trees that had twisted their boughs together to help support the structure. The peaceful surrounds where filled with birdsong from an incalculable variety of species, some that had not been seen in the mortal world or any other for many years, along with numerous other animal species.

Cernunnos had guarded this sanctuary for millenia, and shown very few the beauty he had preserved here. It was an ancient forest, the very first, the one all other forests were decended from, the birthplace of old magick and Cernunnos himself, the First God, older than any other.

Loki used to wander through Cernunnos's home often, almost everytime that things became too much back in Asgard, the hurt to great, he would come here to this peaceful, elegant landscape. It didn't hurt that the owner of this private dimension was perhaps the most understanding being he had ever encounted, there was nothing that Loki could do that he would not try to understand or forgive. There were many times that he had dreamed and wished that he belonged here instead of with his 'family'.

The babbling of the gentle brook that flowed into a beautiful lake sounded just outside the window he sat at, generating a calming effect inside the comforting house. A phoenix trilled as it glided in to land on the window sill, happily taking the offered morsel of food that he held out, before gliding away on wings of shifting flame.

Other tricksters had arrived over the course of a week, crowding the cosily built home and the surrounding woods, but contrary to most people's opinions in regards to mischief makers, the gathering had not created untold chaos, but rather an atmosphere of jolly making.

Tricksters were most comfortable with other tricksters, but when left alone together they did not devolve into chaos, but rather acted like immortal versions of the mortals that held sleepovers. This occured because they had no need to guard themselves from the hurt that most beings would inflict on them due to their not understanding the nature of those with mischief and chaos in their hearts.

Discussions had been raging long and constant about what course of action would best suit the current dilemma. Loki had laid out all he knew about the threat, a threat that if unchecked, could irrepareably damage the very fabric of the universe. So far they had all agreed that Thanos, the Mad Titan, needed to be stopped, his plan for dominating the known universe and making a gift out of the deaths of almost all life too extreme for any of those here.

His insane quest to court death by wiping out all sentient life had not gone down well with his daughter, Hela, Kali or Hades, and they had pledged their power and armies to Loki in the destruction of Thanos. Having those three was a great boon to his plans, their armies were both vast and undefeatable due to their undead nature, making conteracting the Chitauri possible.

Their biggest problem now was the Infinity Gems that the Titan had already collected and keeping the Infinity Gauntlet out of his hands. Loki knew that Odin and Thor would never trust his words or agree to hide the Gauntlet, as they would never believe, like they had not believed for centuries, that he spoke the truth. He would have to find another way to protect everyone, but with the help of his friends and their friends and family, he was sure they could prevail, even if the danger was great.

As he once again looked out, he noticed Eris out by the standing stones that stood as guardians alongside the lakeside. She jumped slightly as he suddenly teleported to her side, and she laughed and slapped his arm for the scare.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to do that!"

"A thousand times more, love. I'll never get tired of that trick," Loki giggled as she became even more affronted.

"Brat!" she hissed, before snuggling into his side as they rested at the base of one of the massive stones. "So anymore thoughts on how we're going to stop Thanos?"

"A few. We now know how will fight by our side, and they will bring even more once the true battle starts. Unfortunately, I still can't think of any other way than luring him to Midgard, as it is the most accessible of all the realms. Also, there are large areas that are uninhabited, and if we can get him there, we can bring our full might to bear on him and his followers."

Eris leaned away to look at him, "Then that is what we'll do. Everyone is gathering all they need for this, but it will still be some time before all are ready, some have spread their magic far and wide and its not easy to travel around like it once was."

"Very true, but we'll need every bit we can get if we're going to succeed. I and the other fire elementals will wait until just before we begin to claim back the fire we gifted to the mortals, their terribly weak without it."

"Good, with all the elemental magic on our side, we'll be better than ever before," she jumped up and dragged him with her. "Come on, enough seriousness for one day, time for some fun," and with that she ran off to drag all she could find into the games they played.

 

 

 _Midgard - Some weeks later_  

 

"Is this it?" Tony's voice was sceptical, not that Natasha could blame him. It was an uninspiring copse of trees but Thor inisisted that this was the best place to summon the one he called Coyote.

"Yes, this is it, Son of Stark," the loud fat one stated, moving forward with the bundle of herbs that they had to burn.

"OK, it just looks a little underwhelming for a portal point, that's all."

"That's why you mortals have never found any of the pathways," Thor came up behind them. "Most are so well hidden you'd never find them, unless you knew they were there."

Bruce looked back in interest from where he was scanning the ground. "Most?"

"Some are far more noticeable." At the go on look he got from both scientists, he continued, "the older pathways once acted like your highways, allowing great movement between this realm and others. One such gateway is the pyramids in Egypt and other countries, but perhaps the most famous would be your Stonehenge."

"Stonehenge and the pyramids are gateways to other worlds?" Tony exclaimed. "How did we not know this earlier?"

"Those gateways are well protected, Man of Iron. Stonehenge is still the most frequent way to travel to this realm, and as such, has the greatest protections."

Natasha whirled on him, her glare silencing anything else he was about to say. "What do you mean, its still in use? Are you saying that unauthorised beings have been coming and going and we haven't been made aware of it?"

"Well, yes, Lady Natasha. The Fae and the Pagan deities have been 'coming and going' for millenia, far longer than your civilisation has been around. Mortals have no authority over them."

"If their coming to our world, then yes, we do have authority over them," she was furious, another thing that the Aesir had 'conviently' forgotten to tell them, and now there was an unspecified number of aliens running around who-knew-where.

Thor sighed, "They've been here for a very long time, and to be honest, they gave you the basis of your culture. They will never recognise mortal authority or law in relation to themselves. But that is something to be discussed at a later time, we need to focus on why we're here."

Knowing that he was making a good point, Natasha huffed and turned back to business. Volstagg and Hogun had finished setting up the offering they were using to attract Coyote's attention and were already beginning the summoning. Nothing happened for a few minutes, and just when a few of the Avengers were begining to believe that this was all for nought, they could see a shimmer begin to form in the air before them.

A moment later, out stepped a creature that they couldn't believe was real for a second before the form imprinted onto their minds. It looked like a dog had mated with a human. It stood on two human legs with a human torso, but it had a long tail with a dog-like head and it was entirely covered in short brown fur. Its ears flicked between them before it opened its mouth to speak, the voice coming across as strangely smooth and rounded.

"Who was it that summoned me?"

Thor stepped forward commandingly, "It was I Thor, Prince of Asgard that seek your knowledge."

"What knowledge would that be then, Prince of Asgard?"

"We seek Loki, Odin Allfather has commanded his return to answer for his actions in removing magic that rightfully belongs to Asgard. We need to find my brother and return him, and I had hoped that you might be able to tell me where he has been hiding."

"I do know where he is, but tell me, why should I tell you?" Coyote cocked his head to one side, wondering how Thor was going to answer this question.

"Loki committed acts of an appalling nature and he was bound for his punishment before he escaped, and if that wasn't enough, he has damaged our realm most severely. You are the only one close by who can help us to find him, so I ask for your help in apprehending a traitor to our realm."

Coyote was thoughtful, he knew what had truly happened during the incident that Thor was talking about and he wasn't inclined to help someone who had bullied one he called friend for centuries with no remorse. But, on the otherhand, if he could show these mortals and maybe even Thor himself just how wrong they were, then perhaps their plans for taking down the Titan could move ahead with less underhanded tactics.

He nodded his head to those before him, "I will take you to him, but I make no promises beyond that. The rest is up to you."

"That is all we need," Clint was eager to get some payback for what that phsyco had done to him during the the invasion, and would take any chance he could get.

With that, he opened a portal to the Nether world, and led the way to Loki, but not before sending one of his messengers through first. No one could say that Coyote didn't let his friends have a heads up before he caused a little chaos, and he grinned as he stepped through with mischief in mind.

This was going to be one hell of a reunion.

 

 


	2. Welcome to the Nether World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and the others find a way to stop Thanos, but the search for it is far from over. And what happens once Thor and the Avengers catch up to the Trickster?

_Nether World - Cernunnos' Sanctuary_

 

In a green-washed field stood a great circle of stones, massive rocks that had stood for tens of millenia, arranged in precise order to facilitate and amplify great workings in magic. A circle of mages stood inside, surrounded by the ancient blue-grey stones, and inside that circle sat Loki and Cernunnos, facing each other, hands palm up and touching.

Eris stood hand in hand with Set, Mercury, Veles, Kutkh, Moros and Momos, focusing their power into opening the pathways of Fate and Future.

Cernunnos' reached out into the whirlwind of Fate and History, riding the twists of change that were always occuring due to people's choices. He could feel Loki's quicksilver mind as he surfed through the aether with extraordinary prowess, almost dancing through history with a deftness he had rarely seen. With the connection between them strong, mind to mind, he saw all the pain and torment that he had suffered these past few years under the ones who had the gall to claim love and kinship to him.

The pain in his heart made Cernunnos' ache in sympathy.

But they had another duty to do at the moment, so he turned his attention back to the business at hand. 

He felt a burst of elation from his companion just before he heard the call.

 _I found it!_ Loki flew to where he had discovered their prize sitting within a massive hall lit only by torches set into the walls.

It was a box, made out of the darkest of granites, and decorated with swirling symbols and whirls. Crystals were inset on every side, and in the lid was a massive Opal that had been polished to a fiery gleam that glittered in the flickering light. They walked forward, studying the runes that covered the pedestal on which it rested, reading the words that had not been spoken by any mortal in more than two thousand years.

 _That's it,_ Cernunnos said as he eyed the box,  _tht's Pandora's box, the Pandorica._

Loki ran his gaze over the reliefs and engravings that covered every wall, a feeling of familiarity overcoming him.  _I've been here before, I can feel it._

 _As have I, I recognise this writing. This is Atlantis,_ he glanced around before looking back at his companion.  _The Pandorica is in the Lost City of Atlantis_. Before more could be done, he felt a pulling on his mind and felt the same thing happening to Loki. They were being called back from the aether.

They turned away from the vision of the lost city, and made their way back to where they had left their phsyical forms, content in their knowledge that they now knew where their prize was. Even if it would be difficult to find.

 

OoOoO

 

The Avengers stepped out into a world filled with every type of green imaginable, the sunlight dappling the ground as it struggled to find its way past the canopy of massive trees.

Tony quickly took in his surroundings, noting that the forest around him would prove a challenge for his suit if he had to fly and fight in here. He'd never seen such thick branches and trunks before, indicating a very old forest was where they'd ended up when they'd gone through that portal.

He noticed that their guide, the one Thor called Coyote, had moved off the seconf they had all come through, so he hurried along to catch up.

"So, where are we exactly, again?" he questioned, dying to know where they'd gone.

Coyote turned back to answer. "Welcome to the Nether World. It's a place between other Realms, a place unto itself. Its also the home to the Pagan gods and goddesses, along with the Fae, and protected and cared for by Cernunnos."

"The Nether World?!" Thor was not happy, glancing around quickly as if a threat would just jump out from the trees and maul him.

"Afraid, thunder god," Coyote giggled. At Thor's glare, he continued, "You should be. Cernunnos was not impressed by your little bluster the last time you went to his island, and I seem to remember the thrashing he gave you for damaging some of his trees. I dare say PapaOdin wasn't happy when you went running home with your tail between your legs."

He skipped on ahead, ignoring the deluge of insults that came his way from the Aesir, and the glare that Thor was throwing him was so vicious that he should of keeled over right there and then. The Avengers threw each other confused looks and tried to puzzle out what they were talking about.

"Thor?" Steve was concerned about the implications that the one who ran this world might take exception to one of the Avengers for coming here.

But it was Coyote who replied. "Didn't he tell you? A millennia or so ago, Thor here was the big bad god that led a whole bunch of Vikings to the island where Cernunnos liked to live. Lets just say that there was some misunderstanding on Thor's part about the respect he should show other deities when visiting their lands. Cernunnos is usually very easygoing, but never mess with his forests as he's not very forgiving of those who don't treat nature with the proper respect."

"He is a formidable opponent when riled," Thor admitted, not looking at any of his friends. "Even Father backed down when he went to seek reparations for my defeat at his hands. He recognises no law but his own, and he has the power to back that up." He turned and looked them all in the eye so they understoof the seriousness of his words. "He is very powerful, and he is also very, very old. We know not how old, but we know he is older than Asgard's recorded history. He is not one to make an enemy out of, and I know that the Allfather will not support any antagonisim towards him."

"He hands over Loki, and we got no problem with him," Clint's statement was firm. "I don't care what he gets up to here, though Fury's going to want control over who comes and goes to Earth, but I won't take any action for now as long as he doesn't get in my way."

"We'll see about that," and with those ominous words, Coyote brought them out of the forest to the biggest tree house any of them had ever seen.

There they were met by many beings that were lounging around in all manners of activities. Games were being played, stories told, and even what looked like a dance recital was happening over underneath the shade of an ancient oak.

They had almost reached the impromptu pool party, complete with water fights, that was occuring in th lake, when an explosion ripped through the air. With a shout of surprise they turned to the threat and then froze in absolute shock, staring at the impossible thing before them.

A gigantic mouse towered over the tree house, whiskers twitching in the breeze as whoops of delight sounded around them. A group of young boys and girls were dancing in front of the enormous creature, talking over each other as they chattered with a young man that looked to be of Islander descent.

Coyote laughed as he went over picking up one of the little girls and swinging her through the air. "What have you lot been up to?"

As the kids turned to look at the visitors, Tony noticed that they were two sets of twins, the resemblance in each set to alike to be anything but twins. The boys were pale skinned with dark hair and bright green eyes, the two little girls had the same skin and eyes but they both had fiery red hair that fell in waves down their backs.

"We did it! Did you see?! Did you see?" both boys exclaimed at the same time.

"Yes, I did. An impressive piece of summoning and size alteration, was it both of you?"

"A-ha! Kapua watched us do it, but it was father that taught us how to do it," they proudly told them.

The little girl in Coyote's arms pouted, "You didn't get it right, it was all lumpy! Kapua fixed it!"

"He helped, but it was our spell!" came the indignant reply.

"Ok, kids, ok!" the Islander man laughed, the aforementioned Kapua, "no need to get picky. They did an excellent spell for such young mages."

Before further questions could be asked, Thor had finally stopped eyeing the creature like he wanted to smite it, and Tony saw the look of surprise and outrage on his face when he saw the boys.

"Vali and Narfi!" his booming voice silenced any conversation. "How are you here?!" he stormed forward, going in to grab the closest boy when Kapua got in between him and the twins.

"And who are you," was hissed at a furious thunder god. He was prepared to strike out at the slightest provocation.

"Thor! What are you doing?" Steve was shocked that Thor could even think about hurting a child, even if it looked like he knew them.

"They are two of Loki's sons!" Thor was indignant that they would question him. The other Aesir had drawn their weapons at the mention of their names, and were giving the children such looks of hate that the Avengers were begining to feel uncomfortable.

Steve pushed him further away from were the children were now all hiding behind Kapua and Coyote. "It doesn't matter if they are his sons, or if they where Hitler's kids. You don't threaten children, they're just innocent kids."

"They shouldn't even be alive!"

There was absolutely no sound after this announcement, and not even Tony knew what to say to such a callous and cruel statement.

"What?" Tony was disgusted that someone he considered a friend could even contemplate such a thing. After all, if they were Loki's kids, didn't that make them Thor's nephews?

Oblivious to the animosity that was coming from his mortal friends, he answered, "the Allfather declared their lives forfeit in retaliation to an incident involving Loki and our brother, Baldur. He transformed Vali into a wolf and set him on Narfi."

"He _what!"_ Steve was revolted at the thought that someone who supposedly ruled over the Nine Realms would do that to innocent children. It was nothing short of disgusting and horrifying. "Are you telling me that your father did that to children that had done nothing wrong?"

"The punishment was for Loki's actions against a son of Odin. He was sentenced to suffer the loss of a child like what the Allfather suffered when his son was murdered by Loki."

There was a cold mocking laugh from behind them, and they turned to see a man walking towards them with all the authority of a King. He was tall, with long ebony hair that fell in waves down to his waist contrasting sharply with his moon-pale skin, black eyes with a red iris looked out from under a crown of thorns. But his most striking feature was the eerily blue flames that danced around the bottom of his midnight black robes, writhing to his movements as he stalked towards them like some giant panther.

"Murder, Odinson," his voice was as dark and cold as an ancient graveyard. "It was not murder, but a righteous killing in the defence of harmless women and children. Not that that fool Odin would recognise righteousness if he saw it."

"How _dare_ you!" Thor roared. "You dare insult the King of Asgard! Beg for forgiveness or I shall strike you down where you stand." Sif and the Three were already brandishing their weapons at the stranger, prepared to attack the second that Thor did.

The man didn't even blink, for with a simple wave of his hand, every one of their weapons instantly rusted and disintegrated before their eyes. As they blinked stupidly at their now empty hands, another flick of his fingers sent them all sailing through the air to slam into the lake. Thor burst through the surface, spluttering and furious, before helping his companions to climb out, completely drenched from head to toe.

"You! You _dare_ to attack a son of Odin! I am the Prince of Asgard!" He stomped forward, rage and fury outlining every feature. His friends echoed his anger in what they saw as great direspect towards their King and their Prince.

But every single one of them froze when they heard the man's next words.

"And _I_ am Hades, God of Death and the Underworld, King of my Realm," he spoke with absolute command, one used to being obeyed in all things.

"Hades?" the whisper came from Fandral, the faces on all the Aesir paling to almost sheet white, Volstagg even taking a few steps back to almost slide behind Hogun. Only Sif seemed to still have some colour, even though she was still paler than usual, her indignation and hate at the easy discarding of the might of the Aesir by a foreigner plain on her face.

Tony was getting an uneasy feeling about all this. A man he thought to be foolishly brave and reckless was practically quivering in the face of a man who was wearing something resembling a toga, but now that he was looking closer, he could feel a peculiar vibration in the air, like he was radiating some type of energy. "Thor? Who's Hades?"

"Hades was one of the children of the Titans and helped overthrow their rule of the realms," the burning anger from before seemed to have disappeared in the face of knowing who the man was.

"So, what did you mean when you said that Loki was right?"

"Don't listen to anything he says, Man of Iron," Thor quickly interrupted.

Hades sent a frown his way, then turned to the mortals. "Baldur was a bully and dishonourable, he coveted women married to others and threatened their children when he did not get his way. He forfeited his life when his eye fell on one he should not have contemplated. The wife of another god, Sigyn, wife of Loki."

Tony looked up in surprise, "Loki had a wife?"

"Has, mortal, has. Yes, Sigyn is one of uncommon beauty, and Baldur desired her. His mistake came when he tried to force her, and after she refused he went after her sons, Vali and Narfi. Loki came upon them in time, but Baldur would not desist, and so Loki was forced to defend them to the death."

"Lies," Thor hissed. "Nothing but lies. That traitor murdered a good and honourable man, and when commanded to return him to life, he refused. The punishment was just."

"If Baldur was so good and just, then tell me why he suffers in Helheim," came the smug counter.

"He is in Valhalla, Hall of the righteous dead!"

Hades shook his head at the naivety before him. "No, Thor. He is in Helheim for that is where he belongs, and as you know, only those judged good and honourable can be bargained for. Those sent to suffer for their misdeeds can not be freed through any deal, and so Loki could not bargain for the release of Baldur no matter what he offered."

Tony shared a look with Bruce, the information they'd just discovered fitted into observations they had perceived. It created an interesting picture, and one that could certainly turn things on their head.

"If you know what happened, why did you not present your knowledge at the trial," Steve was puzzled, if others knew what had happened, then why didn't Thor.

"Trial,"the word was almost spat at them. "What _trial_? Odin judged him guilty the second he heard that Baldur was dead and did not investigate into the incident at all."

"He didn't try to find out what happened?" Tony was astounded. "Loki is his son, right?" He would have thought that a King would try to clear the name of a Prince from his own family.

Coyote laughed derisively, "Baldur was a blood-son, while Loki was a hostage-son. He never truly treated him like an actual son in word or deed, he raised him with a single purpose in mind. A purpose we now know was to be puppet-King of Jotunheim under Odin's rule and everytime that he looked like going against Odin's wishes, he was punished harshly for things that no-one else would ever be harmed for."

Thor's face was a livid red from the fury that had arisen from the slurs and disrespect towards his father, but he never got to express this for at that moment, the gigantic mouse chose to make itself known. The two sets of twins oohed over their creation, before leaving the saftey of their protectors to race over to witness their success.

"Come, children," Kapua motioned for them to get closer. "You have to decide where it's going. Did you make a decision yet?"

The little boys started to jump up and down, trying to answer first, but it was Vali that announced the detination. "Yes! We're sending him to Asgard for what they did to father."

"Well, then. Let's send him on his way," and with that Hades opened the shadow paths and sent the gift that Loki's children had made to its intended recipients. The warriors of Asgard would be so busy chasing the thing down that they would not have the time to organise groups to hunt Loki down, thus keeping them from interfering in their plans.

"How dare you attack Asgard!" Thor started to launch himself at the one who had opened something he thought only Loki could ever access.

Hades didn't even blink at the oncoming attack of an enraged thunder god, he merely waited until Thor swung out with a fist before he lifted a single solitary finger to intercept his attack. The second Thor's flesh touched his own, the crown prince of Asgard recoiled with a scream, clutching his now blackened and wounded appendage close to his chest as he stumbled back a few paces. While Thor's Aesir friends tried to help him, the Avengers lifted their weapons in startlement at Thor's retreat.

"He should know better than to try and attack Death," Hades voice flowed over them, sending chills racing down their spines. "I am Death, to touch me without permission removes your life from your bones," he replied to their questioning looks.

"Yeah," Coyote giggled, "If Thor had remained in contact for a few seconds longer, his life would have been drained completely. A word to the wise, never mess around with embodiments of Death, and there are a few, for they are the thing itself and any touch they give can carry it. Only immortals have a measure of protection from Death's touch."

Tony lowered his gauntlets, backing away slightly from one that had just sent the strongest man he knew to his knees with a single touch. "But Thor's immortal, isn't he?"

"No, he is not," Hades denied. "Not truly. The Aesir gain their immortality from eating the golden apples of Idunn, they are not born thay way naturally, in fact, they are born mortal. There are a few races with born immortality, such as the Jotun, Fae and the Elves, but most are Gods and Goddesses from the old ways."

Bruce had made his way over to where the others were trying to see the wound, but they weren't having much luck. With a few calming words, he managed to get Thor to show his hand, and where he had touched the other god could be quite clearly seen.

The skin was blackend, almost exactly like the frostburn of a Jotun, with blistering welts appearing around the edges. He had no idea how to treat an injury of this nature, and sent an inquiring look back to the ones who would know. Coyote glanced over the injury and indicated for them all to follow, before he began herding the children to their destination.

"Don't worry," it was the Islander god, Kapua. "There are some powerful healers here, and onw of them is with Loki, whom your here to see, I gather."

Tony nodded, "Yes, we're here to take him back to face justice for his crimes, and to ensure he undergoes his punishment."

The other man's expression wasn't all that comforting to Tony, it was a mixture of pity and 'I know something you don't' and did not inspire confidence in the Avengers ability to carry out their goals.

"That is something you will have to discuss with Loki and his friends."

"Friends!?" Clint practically spat, having been listening into the conversations around him.

"Yes, friends," he confirmed. "And despite Asgards belief to the contrary, a great many friends, some of them he considers closer than family. It is to those few that you will have to take your concerns to, as it will be up to them whether we allow you to take him or not. And I think you'll find that there are far more important and dangerous goings on than you realise or have been informed of." He left Clint spluttering behind, hurrying forward to catch up with the children.

The Avengers exchanged glances, each begining to realise that this was not going to be as easy as they had previously thought, and that there were many things about the Trickster that they had now known. A few were even begining to question whether Thor knew his brother half as well as he thought, for why else would the thunderer not know about these powerful people that claimed friendship to the God of Mischief and Chaos.

 

OoOoO

 

Thor's hand was throbbing with every step he took, the pain lancing up his arm in vicious pulses and only his friends on either side kept him on his feet. Sif and Bruce struggled to keep someone of his height and weight upright and moving forward, but they managed to keep up with the others as they followed the children that ran ahead, laughing at their great 'trick'.

Hearing the kids call out to someone, he dragged his head up to see that they were walking towards a massive structure, ancient stones that towered over the field they were in. The grey and blue stones were clearly laid out and arranged to be part of a structure, one that was in use from the limited view he had.

"Stonehenge," Bruce said as he stared at it in awe. At the looks he received, he clarified, "It's an ancient site in England, only part of it is still standing but from the way this is built, I can see the similarities between the two."

Hades had followed behind them and overheard Bruce's comments. "It's not similar to Stonehenge, it is its identical twin."

At this he was suddenly the focus of all the humans in the group, even Thor struggled to focus properly on the god.

"Twin," Tony was curious.

"Cernunnos is very involved in what you call England and the British Isles and so had cause to travel there regularly, along with many of the Fae. Think of these two henges like Asgard's Bifrost, or better yet, like two doors between worlds. When the correct method is used, passage between the two is as simple as walking through a particular Trilithon and then out through the corresponding trilithon on another world. But that's not why we're here, come, we'll find that healer for you."

Even as he mentioned a healer, Coyote was leading a man with a bow strapped to his back towards them. He was quick and impersonal, assessing Thor's wound and rummaging through the bag he had slung over his shoulder, drawing out a small but highly decorated box and a vial full of a liquid that glowed a soft green.

"This is Vindonnus, a great healer," Coyote told them.

Thor watched as Vindonnus mixed a few drops of the liquid with the powder from the box, before spreading it over the blackened skin, drawing a sharp gasp from the thunderer. It took but a few moments until he finished by wrapping the injured hand tightly in bandages that had been soaked in a special brew.

Kapua had vanished along with the children and Hades into the twin of Stonehenge while the healer had seen to his patient. Only a few minutes later they heard the happy chatter of youngsters vying for the attention of a loved one, telling the story of the mouse and what they had done, coming ever closer to the edge of the stone circle.

When the group came into view, weapons from the entire group were suddenly trained on those who had just appeared. For the one who had walked out and raised the tension to optimum levels was the one they had been hunting, the one that most of them would be quite happy to kill if given any provocation.

Loki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kutkh is the Russian God of Trickery, Ravens and Creation
> 
> Veles is the Slavic God of Dragons, Cattle, Magic, Musicians, Wealth and Trickery
> 
> Kapua is the Hawaiian God of Trickery and Shapeshifter
> 
> Vindonnus is the Celtic Pagan God of hunting and healing
> 
> Hades is the Greek God of Death and the Underworld. He is well known for being a just and balancing God, he does his duty honourably, but is not cruel or vindictive unless you cheat him or try to leave or enter his realm. He is also known for his trickery. He is the older brother to Zeus, King of the Gods, and Poseidon, God of the Seas, and the more powerful, feared and respected of the three brothers.

**Author's Note:**

> Loki is the Norse God of Mischief, Fire and Chaos
> 
> Eris is the Greek Goddess of Strife, Chaos and Discord
> 
> Hermes is the Greek God of Trickery, Theives, Messenger, Boundaries, Transitions, Travelers, Wit, Invention, Trade
> 
> Nemesis is the Greek Goddess of Retribution
> 
> Keres is the Greek Goddess of Carnage
> 
> Moros is the Greek God of Doom and Fate
> 
> Momos is the Greek God Mockery, Blame and Satire
> 
> Set is the Egyptian God of Desert, Storms, Disorder, Violence and Foreigners
> 
> Kapua is the Hawaiian God of Trickery
> 
> Mercury is the Roman God of Financial Gain, Commerce, Eloquence Poetry, Messages, Communication, Divination, Travelers, Boundaries, Luck, Trickery and Thieves
> 
> Coyote is the Navajo God of Trickery
> 
> Cernunnos is the Pagan God of Animals, Forests and is the Lord of the Hunt, he is also a creation God and so far, the oldest known God ever found on Earth. Artifacts attibuted to him have been found in England that are more than 30 000 years old.


End file.
